How many do you know? We've compiled a list of local beers named after mountains
Written by Mioko Matsubara
table of contents
After descending the mountain, check out the mountain beer
"Kahh, it's delicious!" you exclaim as you pour the fine foam and golden liquid down your throat in one gulp. There are many moments when beer seeps into your every fiber. Among them, the most delicious are those you drink in a mountain hut during a break during a hike, or after soaking in a hot spring after descending the mountain
Did you know that there are beers named after mountains among the soothing king of beer? Some famous ones include "Daisen G Beer" and "Gassan Local Beer." Thinking, "There may be even more local mountain beers in various places," I set out to find all the mountain beers I know of at the moment, including the ones I've tried myself
By the way, as mentioned above, Yama Beer is a beer named after a mountain (I've decided to call it Yama Beer). The contents are what we would call "craft beer" today, or if we go back a little further, we could call it "local beer." It is characterized by using local produce and being particular about the water and the environment
The way to find them is very simple. If you go to a larger hot spring or roadside station, head straight to the liquor section, or look around at a local liquor store or supermarket. That's it. When you come across one in a bottle (most are bottled, not canned), you'll be thrilled and say, "There it is!" It's similar to the feeling of searching for mountain badges
Summer may be over, but beer is seasonless! For beer lovers, beer is always delicious! Let's get started!
Already drank
Daisetsu Craft Beer
I bought this at a roadside station while hiking Mt. Asahi and Mt. Tokachi. It's brewed using barley from Furano, wheat from Shimokawa, and rice from Hokkaido, and the brewing water is meltwater from Mount Daisetsu. I tried the dark beer named after Mount Kurodake, a mountain in the Daisetsu mountain range. It has a high alcohol content of 8% and a robust flavor
Local Beer Gassan
I bought this at a roadside station while hiking Mt. Gassan. It's made with meltwater from the heavy snowfall of Mt. Gassan, and their standard beers are Pilsner and Münchner. It had a refreshing taste
Hakuba Beer
I came across this beer at a local supermarket after descending from Mt. Hakuba. The descent from Mt. Hakuba was quite tough, and I really wanted to find this beer, so I was especially moved when I finally found it. It is brewed by a British immigrant to Hakuba using well water fed by melting snow from the Alps. I personally prefer Hakuba IPA
Mount Asama Romance
I bought this at a campsite in Gunma Prefecture. It's perfect for a barbecue and very drinkable. It's made with underground water from Kirigamine and hot spring water from Shinshu. It's made by Reijin Sake Brewery, a company famous for its sake. (The URL below is for Reijin Sake Brewery, but they don't seem to sell it online.)
Amakazariyama Beer
I found this at a roadside station where I took a break after descending Mt. Amakasari. It's a dark beer made with buckwheat flour from Otari Village, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Prefecture. It's rare to find a beer made with buckwheat flour, isn't it? It has a rich flavor
Tanigawadake Beer
I bought this beer at a roadside station on the way back from Mt. Shibutsu, not Mt. Tanigawa. It uses water flowing from the Hotaka mountains. It's a light and easy-to-drink beer. (It's not currently listed on the manufacturer's website, Denen Plaza Kawaba Co., Ltd., so it's unclear whether it's still being made.)
Fujiyama Beer
I bought this at a roadside station while camping near Lake Yamanaka. It's made in Fujiyoshida, at the foot of Mount Fuji, using natural spring water from Fuji. It's rare to find it sold in a one-liter can, so I bought a few, but they were so smooth they were gone in no time
Hakkaisan Beer
I bought this at a roadside station in Uonuma while hiking Mt. Naeba. It is brewed using underground water from Mt. Hakkai. It was a beer that you could really taste the barley. (Today, to mark the 20th anniversary of its release, the product name has been changed from "Hakkaisan Izumi Beer" to "Rydeen Beer.")
Rokko Beer
I bought this beer at a store in the hot spring town when I arrived at Arima Onsen after descending from Mt. Rokko. I was thirsty, so I had a very light pilsner called "Rokko Pilsner." They also produce seasonal beers (peach ale, lemon ale, etc.)
Daisen G Beer
I tried it at a lodging while climbing Mt. Daisen. It was midsummer, so I remember it being incredibly delicious. It seems to be distributed in various places, so you might be able to find it in your area. It uses underground water from Mt. Daisen, as well as local wheat and rice
I haven't drunk it yet
Osorezan Beer
This beer is brewed at Baikozan Sutokuji Temple in Oma Town, a town famous for its tuna, on the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture. The temple is brewed by the head priest using spring water from within the temple grounds. There are a wide variety of beers available, including lager, pilsner, pale ale, bitter, and stout. The fact that it is brewed by the head priest makes it seem like a Belgian monastery beer
Official website (under construction)
Sanbonyaridake IPA
This beer is produced by Highland Port Brewery in Saigo Village, Fukushima Prefecture. Sanbonyari-dake is the highest peak of Mount Nasu, one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan. Saigo Village is located at the foot of this mountain, and uses underground water from the Abukuma River. Even the name alone makes for a cool beer
Hodaka Beer
I found it at a hot spring (in Azumino City) on my way back from hiking Mt. Tateyama, but forgot to buy it on the way home... The ingredients used are hops from Azumino and natural water from Hotaka
Takao Beer
This beer comes from Mount Takao, a mountain familiar to those living in the Kanto region. Mount Takao is located in Hachioji, Tokyo, and is made from seasonal fruits (and sometimes passion fruit!), wheat, rice, mulberry leaves, and other ingredients grown in Hachioji. The beers have punchy names like "The Forest is Alive" and "Oh! Mountain."
Tateyama Ale
It is made with water from the foot of Mt. Tateyama and can be purchased at liquor stores in Toyama Prefecture or by mail order
By the way, when I climbed Mt. Tateyama, I found the following beer on sale in Murodo, so I bought it. It is produced using the "Tateyama Tamadono Spring Water" near Murodo. As it has been selected as one of the 100 best spring waters in Japan, not only was the spring water delicious, but the beer also had a mellow taste
Tateyama local beer "Hoshi no Sora Original"
Hakusan Wakuwaku Beer
It is made from underground water from Mt. Hakusan and "two-row barley" grown at the foot of Mt. Hakusan. They are particular about using local agricultural products. The spring water I drank while climbing Mt. Hakusan was delicious, so it goes without saying that the beer was also delicious
Kirishima Beer
Rain that falls on the Kirishima Mountains is filtered through the natural environment of Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, and becomes groundwater called "Kirishima Rekkasui." Kirishima Beer is brewed with this groundwater. "Kirishima Rekkasui" can be drunk for free within the brewery facility
Extra Edition
Sukayu Beer
I bought this at the shop at Sukayu Onsen, a hot spring where I stayed while climbing Mt. Hakkoda. The label features a picture of Sukayu Onsen. There was also a cup sake with the same label. I had never seen it anywhere other than Sukayu Onsen, so it may have been a rare beer. It had a sour taste
Mt. Hakusan 1300th Anniversary Commemorative Plastic Cup
This year (2018), when I climbed Mt. Hakusan and took a break at Hakusan Murodo, I had a draft beer in a plastic cup commemorating the 1,300th anniversary of the mountain's founding, so I've kept it as a memento
In the United States, wherever there are mountains there are breweries (especially in Portland), so I firmly believe that mountains and beer are inseparable. I know some of you probably already know this, but I'll say it anyway: beer after a hike is delicious, whether it's at a hot spring, a mountain hut, or at home
Aiko Matsubara
These days, I'm really interested in places like Iceland and Alaska in the north. However, if possible, I'd also like to dive in the waters of the Galapagos Islands. Six years have passed since I began my journey to visit the places I want to see before I die, climbing all 100 of Japan's most famous mountains. I climb mountains all over the country in Hiraide model shoes (shoes chosen by alpine climber Kazuya Hiraide). I'm from Osaka and love craft beer and drinkable yogurt
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